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Expert guide to Crete

An insider's guide to the best things to do and attractions in Crete, including visiting Knossos, the Samarian Gorge, Spinalónga and hiking the Gorge of the Dead. By Marc Dubin, Telegraph Travel's Greece expert.

Minoan sites, Iráklio Archaeological Museum

Of the dozen excavated Minoan towns and palace complexes, Knossos (summer 8am-8pm, closes 3pm in winter; €16 joint ticket with Iráklio Museum) is the best place to start. Three miles outside of Iráklio, it was restored in the 1920s by Arthur Evans and his son, Emile Gilliéron. (Apr-Oct; daily, 8am-8pm, closes 3pm in winter; €16 joint ticket with Iráklio Museum).

Purists, however, will prefer adjacent Phaistos and Agía Triáda, a 45-minute drive south-west of Iráklio. The stunningly arranged and labelled displays represent every period of Cretan history, from Neolithic (c.7,000BC) to late Roman. The most crowd-pleasing Minoan finds, such as the delicate rock-crystal rhyton, the Phaistos disc and the ‘Harvester’ Vase are all on the ground floor. Don’t overlook the adjacent statuary gallery (Archaic to Roman periods), which depicts Hades, Cerberus, Sarapis and Persephone-Isis together with Pan playing a syrinx. (Apr–Oct; daily, 8.00am–8pm; Nov–Mar Mon 11am–5pm, Tues–Sun 8am–3pm. Admission €10, or more advantageous €16 joint ticket with Knossos).

Purists will enjoy Phaistos city ruinsCredit:
gatsi - Fotolia

Every major town on Crete has an archaeological museum, but the only other one with both contemporary design and top-drawer displays is the one in Kíssamos, a small port 23mi/38km west of Haniá. The museum occupies a fine old building which was once the Venetian, then Ottoman, command-post. The ground floor contains flawlessly labelled finds from nearby ancient Polyrrhenia and Phalasarna. It is primarily pottery amongst a myriad of intriguing exhibits organised by chronology and provenance. But the museum’s pride and joy lies upstairs: two Roman mosaics from a late second or early third century AD villa. The first juxtaposes the Roman Four Seasons with Three Horae (Dancers) symbolizing the traditional Hellenic tripartite division of the year. The second panel, damaged but still vivid, is devoted to Dionysiac themes. (Tues–Sun 8.30am–3pm; €2; fully disabled-accessible).

Castles

The Venetians built numerous castles, both on the Cretan mainland and atop offshore islets. The most imposing survivors are Spinalónga near Ágios Nikólaos and the Fortezza dominating Réthymno. Spinalónga (Apr–Oct daily 8am–7pm, Nov–Mar Sat–Sun 9.30am–4pm, €8) was the inspiration for Victoria Hislop's novel 'The Island' and once housed a former leper colony.

The Fortezza dominating Réthymno (daily, summer 8.30am–8.30pm, €6 or €12 family ticket; winter closes earlier) is the largest Venetian castle and shelters the biggest domed structure in Greece, the 1647-built Ibrahim Han mosque with its marvellous acoustics.

Ágios Nikólaos is a small town near the imposing Spinalónga castleCredit:
ALAMY STOCK PHOTO/CITY IMAGE

Monasteries and churches

Crete's medieval monasteries served as centres of resistance and refuge during both the troubled centuries of Ottoman rule, and the World War II occupation. The top four, for architectural distinction and/or setting, are Toploú, Arkadíou, Préveli, and Zangarólon.

Toploú (Apr–Oct daily 9am–6pm, off-season Fri only), 6mi/10km east of Sitía, is the quintessential fortified monastery. Its greatest treasure is an intricate 18th-century icon by one Ioannis Kornaros, with 61 miniature scenes based on the Orthodox prayer 'Lord Thou Art Great'.

Arkadíou (daily, Apr–May & Sept–Oct, 9am–7pm; June–Aug 9am–8pm; Nov 9am–5pm; Dec–March 9am–4pm; €2.50), 23km southeast of Réthymno, was originally Byzantine but the extant buildings date from 1587. Arkadíou is most famous for its role in the 1866 island rebellion. Nearly a thousand insurgents, Orthodox civilians and the monks barricaded themselves in monastery and when the walls were breached, seeing his position as hopeless, the abbot ordered the powder magazine set alight. The explosion killed hundreds of the defenders and attackers alike. Fortunately, most of the monastery survived, including the exquisite Venetian-rococo facade of the church.

Préveli (daily, 9am-6.30/7.30pm depending on season; €2.50) on the south coast of Réthymno province near Plakiás resort, comprises the older abandoned monastery of Káto Préveli and the main 17th-century monastery of Píso Préveli overlooking the sea. Píso distinguished itself during World War II by helping many of the defeated Australian forces to escape from beaches below, then sheltered stragglers and Cretan fighters for the balance of the conflict.

Arkadíou is most famous for its role in the 1866 island rebellionCredit:
ARENA PHOTO UK

Northeast of Haniá on the Akrotíri peninsula, Agías Triádos Zangarólon monastery (daily, summer 9am–7pm; €2.50) attracts visitors mostly for its ornate church exterior dating from the place's early 17th-century establishment. The handful of remaining monks produce and sell wine and olive oil. The Cretan countryside is dotted with lovely old stone churches, often kept locked to protect frescoes inside, which mostly date from the 14th to the 16th centuries.

The most reliably accessible church, containing the finest art, is Panagía Kerá, 5.5mi/9km southwest of busy Ágios Nikólaos, just before Kritsá village. The church (Tue–Sun 8.30am–3pm, €3), originally single-naved, had two side aisles added later. The frescoes are distinguished by their vivid facial expressions, rich colours and garments, plus the presence of many rarely depicted scenes from the Apocryphal Gospels.

Samarian Gorge

Even if you’re not up to following the E4 from end to end, the five-hour descent of the Samarian Gorge (May-October, €5 national park entry, under 15s free) beyond Haniá should be on your “must” list.

At just under 10 miles/16km, it is claimed to be Europe’s longest canyon. Beginning in forested alpine conditions at Xylóskala (the top), the canyon narrows to about 10ft wide at the Siderespórtes, where 1, 000 ft cliffs soar up on either side. Entry to the gorge is strictly forbidden from November to April due to the dangers of flash-floods.

Samarian Gorge is just under 16km and said to be Europe's longest canyonCredit:
DEA / ARCHIVIO J. LANGE

Crete also boasts a major aquarium near Goúrnes. Cretaquarium (Oct–Apr daily, 9.30am–5pm, May–Sept daily 9.30am–9pm; adults €9, children €6, under-5s free; cretaquarium.gr) has recently undergon a refit with more tanks and sealife added. It acts as a serious educational institution, being a branch of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research.

Day trips

Hike the so-called “Gorge of the Dead” at Káto Zákros. The canyon is in fact alive with vegetation, birds and open water, including a potable takeout from the aqueduct which the marked trail follows. Going uphill from the beach and Minoan caves, it’s about an one hour and 15 mins. to the inland trailhead on a slip road just below upper Zákros village. Allow an hour for the downhill return and a well-deserved taverna lunch and swim.

The 'Gorge of the Dead' received it's name from the caves nearby where Minoans buried their deadCredit:
PECOLD /PECOLD

Crete has several offshore islets, to which excursion cruises are offered. Koufonísi off the southeastern tip of the main island, offers pristine beaches, gentle walking and extensive Roman ruins, including Europe’s southernmost ancient theatre. Cruises depart Makrýgialos daily, mid-May to mid-Oct on the so-called ‘pirate ship’ Evdokia; adults€25, children €12.50; and food and drink can be bought on board.

The main reason to come to Ierápetra, Crete’s fourth-largest town on the southeast coast, is to board a daily cruise bound for Hrysí (aka Gaïdouronísi). This nearly flat islet is a protected reserve, covered in rare junipers, and has two main white-sand beaches and a like number of expensive tavernas. Cruising time (one-way) is about 45min; excursions mid-May to mid-Oct, departing 10–10.30am, returning from Hrysí at around 4pm; cost again about €25.

Finally, in far northwestern Crete, off the left-hand of two ‘rabbit ears’ visible on the map, beckons Ímeri Gramvoúsa islet and the ‘tropical’ lagoon of Bálos. The islet has one of the best-preserved local Venetian castles with fine views, and the lagoon has blissful swimming in aquamarine sea. Departures, from Kavonísi port 2 km northwest of Kíssamos, Apr–Oct at 10.20 & 10.40am, returning 5.45pm and 6pm respectively; during July–Aug, there’s an extra sailing at 12.30pm, returning at 7.30pm (cretandailycruises.com; adults €28, children €14, with food available on board).

Calendar of festivals and events

Réthymno Carnival: February or March as per the Orthodox calendar. Observed with special zeal, including a procession of floats